It could be the ultimate accessory for the 4x4-driving city dweller: spray-on mud. A few squirts and neighbours will think you spent the weekend hurtling along muddy lanes looking for a country retreat, rather than sitting in traffic on the way to drop the kids off before your yoga class.

Like many of the best ideas, spray-on mud was dreamed up over a couple of drinks down at the local. "We were in the pub talking about how people drive these huge, pristine vehicles around cities and never have any intention of going near the countryside," said Colin Dowse, a business consultant in Shropshire who markets the product.

"With spray-on mud, they can make it look like they've been off-road instead of just driving to the shops and back."

According to Mr Dowse, sales of the product, which retails at £7.95 a bottle, are going well, particularly in America and in London. "If they want an authentic look, there's not a lot else they can do. There's not a lot of mud in Chelsea," he said.

According to the company's website, spray-on mud can help give your friends, family and neighbours the impression you've just come back from a day's shooting, fishing or visiting friends who live on a farm; anything but driving around in town all day or visiting an out-of-town retail park.

There is nothing special about the mud, which is collected locally, but before it is bottled it has to be filtered to remove any stones and other debris that could mark the vehicle's bodywork.

"People may want to look like they've been off-road, but they certainly don't want any chips or scratches on the paintwork while they're doing the school run," said Mr Dowse.

The company's website points out that it is illegal to use the spray to obscure a vehicle's number plate and did not condone it being used to avoid speed cameras.

"When you're spraying mud on your car, you can get it everywhere, but obscuring the number plate is not what this product is for," said Mr Dowse.

Alan Weavis, who works in advertising and is based in Hammersmith, west London, bought a bottle of spray-on mud for a friend's birthday.

"He's got this huge 4x4 Porsche Cayenne and as far as I know it's never ever been to the country," he said. "I thought it was a funny present.

"It went down really well with everyone, although he thought I was taking the mickey. Which is exactly what I was doing."